1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to manipulating the flow of exhaust gas from an internal combustion engine and, more specifically, to a method and apparatus for creating a high volume, high velocity air stream to direct an engine's exhaust gas away from a specific area and to dilute the exhaust gas.
2. Description of the Related Art
Internal combustion engines are used as energy sources in a variety of industries. The exhaust gases from such engines are typically noxious and otherwise unpleasant for humans, fauna, and flora. In those environments where workers are adjacent the internal combustion energy source, contact with the exhaust gases creates an unpleasant and potentially unhealthy working environment. By way of example and not limitation, offshore structures such as oil well drilling rigs or production platforms, seem particularly susceptible to contamination of working and other inhabited areas with internal combustion exhaust gases. Perhaps because usable square footage is at such a premium on offshore structures, stationary internal combustion engines are by necessity relatively near inhabited spaces. Disposing of the exhaust gases in a manner that minimizes contamination of inhabited areas is or should be a major concern. Factors such as exhaust exit placement and wind and weather conditions affect exhaust gas dispersion and dilution. In other words, low exhaust gas velocity may allow wind and other weather conditions to redirect exhaust gas back toward the exhaust discharge and/or inhabited areas.
Conventional efforts to prevent exhaust gases from contaminating inhabited areas usually involved increasing the exhaust gas pipe height, length, and/or location. However, increasing the exhaust pipe length does not increase the exhaust gas exit velocity or improve the dilution of the exhaust gas. Oftentimes, increasing the length also increases engine backpressure, which decreases engine efficiency. This is especially true for diesel engines, which are notoriously sensitive to exhaust backpressure. In some circumstances, it may have been necessary to move the stationary energy source to another location farther away from the inhabited areas.
The inventions disclosed and taught herein are directed to improved systems and methods for creating a higher fluid velocity adjacent the engine exhaust gas discharge and, thereby, improving dispersal and dilution of the engine exhaust gas to reduce or prevent contamination of inhabited areas.